I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a three-dimensional display system which includes a volumetric display member upon which an image is displayed in a manner whereby the perspective view of that image may be changed by changing the viewing angle to the display member.
II. Background Information
Volumetric three-dimensional display systems are known. For example, one such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,290 issued to Traub. The system disclosed in the Traub patent includes a volumetric display member comprising a flexible membrane mirror.
One feature of volumetric three-dimensional displays is that the perspective view of the displayed image changes as the viewing angle to the display member is altered. This enhances three-dimensional effect and allows the viewer to see the image from a wide range of viewing angles.
Typically, volumetric three-dimensional display systems include a console having user operable controls which are used to govern image projection onto the display member. Accordingly, it is critical that when a viewer is seated at such a console the viewer can maintain contact with the controls and thereby maintain continuous operable control over the displayed image. However, a viewer who is thus seated has a limited range within which the viewing angle to the display member may be altered without losing contact with the controls on the console. Accordingly, such a viewer is faced with the decision of either limiting viewing angle, thereby limiting the available perspective views, or increasing the available viewing angles but thereby losing contact with the controls of the console.
Such a console might be equipped with a remote control panel which would permit the viewer to substantially alter viewing angle without losing contact with the remote panel. However, control panels for volumetric three-dimensional displays are often complex and therefore do not permit easy remote operation or, in the event of remote operation, movement of the control panel may require the viewer to actually look at the control panel during operation and thereby lose contact with the image on the display. As a consequence console mounted controls are preferable.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a three-dimensional display system which permits the user to maintain contact with console mounted controls while changing the angular view of an image projected on a display member of that system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a three-dimensional display system with means for precisely and effectively altering the viewing angle of the display member of that system.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention.